Revolving-top building



Mardi 31, 1931 c. T. Rice ET AL REVOLVING TOP BUILDING 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Juy 30 67. z'oe EZ ld mW March 31, 1931. C, T RlCE ET AL 1,798,810

REYOLVING TOP BUILDING Filed July 30, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 attorney Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES T. RICE AND CHARLES E. CHILDS, F LUBBOCK, TEXAS; SAID CHILDS ASSIGNOR- 'IO SAID RICE i REVOLVING-TOI BUILDING Application filed July 30, 1929. Serial No. 382,129.

This invention relates to buildings such as are used as stands at fairs, Carnivals, exhibitions or along the side of a road for the purpose of dispensing cold drinks, food or novelties, and the general object of the invention is to provide a structure of this lrind having a revolving top or roof formed with a plurality of 'faces which may be used for advertising matter, means being provided m whereby the roof or top may be rotated at any required speed so as to display the advertising on the top or roof.

Other objects have to do with the details of construction and arrangement of parts i5 whereby this result is accomplished.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of a stand or booth constructed in accordance with our inse vention;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevation partly in section showing the central post and the rafters whereby the roof is supported and also showing the driving mechanism for the roof or top;

Figure l is a vertical sectional view through one of the rafters, the roof and the side walls and showing the track upon which the roof turns;

Figure 5 is an elevation of the central post;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view showing a5 the manner in which the motor may be electrically connected to a` source of energy.

Referring to these drawings, 10 designates the base of the building which has a concrete footing 11 for the reception of the central mast 12. This mast is preferably made of pipe as, for instance, pipe three inches in diameter, and may extend upward to any desired degree. This pipe below the top of the roof is extended by pipe sections 13 and 14, the pipe section 14 being designed to extend above the revolving top or roof and being provided with a lineal 15 of any desired and attractive charcater.

Extending upward from the base is a wall 16 which may be, and preferably is, formed of brick, though we do not Wish to be limited to this. This wall may extend upward to any desired height as, for instance, a height of four feet, and the wall supports shelving 17 which may be used as a counter. Extend* .-9,3 ing upward from the base 1() or from the wall,

as desired, though preferably extending upward from the base and being disposed within the wall are the posts 18 which may be of any desired height. These posts are preferen ably connected by beams 19 at the top of the posts, though any suitable framing may be used. These beams 19 are bolted to the posts and are disposed outward of the same.

It will be seen that we have shown a building which is octagonal in plan, but we do not wish to be limited to this.

Hingedly connected to the beams 19 so as to swing upward and outward are the doors or shutters 2O which are normally held up- To ward by any suitable bracing or supporting` means but which may be swung downward when it is desired to close up the stand. Disposed above the upper faces of the beams 19 is a circular track 21 supported by brackets 22 from the posts 18. The roof may have any suitable framing, but we have illustrated the downwardly curved or downwardly and outwardly extending rafters 23 which extend upward to the S0 central pipe and downward and outward beyond the beams 19. At intervals upon these rafters are disposed thedepending brackets 24 which carry upon them the upper and lower rollers 25 and 26 which engage above and below the track 21 respectively. The upper ends of the rafters are mounted upon a sleeve 27 loosely surrounding the pipe standard 13 and supported by a shoulder 28 welded to the pipe 13. This sleeve 27 is provided with the flange 29, to which the upper ends of the rafters are bolted by bolts 30.

Disposed above the sleeve and welded to the pipe 13 is a beveled gear wheel 31, and mounted upon the roof framing formed by the rafters 23 is an electric motor 32 whose shaft carries a beveled gear wheel 33 meshing with the beveled gear wheel 31. It will be obvious, therefore, that when this rector is energized it will cause the roof structure to revolve around the central supporting pipe 13.

Current may be supplied to the motor through the wires 34, these wires being connected to rings 35 traveling over rollers 36. If one side of the motor be grounded, it is sufficient that there be onev ringk 85 and one roller 3G, the roller 36 being connected to the source of current.

Carried by the rafters is the roof Swliich may be formed of metal, wood or of any desired material, this roof being Jformed with aplurality of facets so that'each flat face of the roof may contain advertising matter. The roof may have any desired form, but we have 'shown aroof which extends upward, then inward, and then upward, but do not wish to be limited to that. 'lihe upper end of the roof terminates in a ineal 38 which surrounds the terminal pipe lll and rotates thereon, there being suitable means provided for preventing leakage at thispoint.

It will be seen that a structure or" this kind is particularly effective as a stand for selling candy, cold drinks, tobaccos, etc., and that by reason of the revolving top it will attract the attention of' passersby. rlhe revolving top may be painted in panels ot different colors and may contain advertising matter, as before stated, and be revolved at any desired rate of speed. The shutters not only close up the booth or stand when desired but, projecting out as they do from the Vspace between each pair of posts, constituteawnings protecting the person standing at the booth or stand from the sun or rain.

lllhile we have illustrated a constructionwhich we believe to be particularly effective, Vwe do not wish to be limited tor this as minor changes might be made without departing' from the spirit of the invention.

As shown in Figure 5, the'central post or mast l2 extends a considerable distance above the top and carries upon it electric lights, but it will be understood that these electric lights or others may be mounted upon the mast l2 or post below the top. It will likewise be understocdthat electric lights might be carried upon the revolving top or roof and that these would add very much to the attractiveness of the building at night.

It will also be understood that the motor 32 might be disposed in any place` within the building and be operatively connected to the gear 3l to drive the rotatable topand that we do not wish to be limited to the location ot the motor exactly as shown in Figure 3.

`Weclaim 1. A building of the character described comprising a circular roof structure, a vertically disposed supporting frame, means for rotatably mounting said roof on said frame, a stationary upright, and a motor mounted on the roof and engagingsaid upright whereby to rotate the root thereabout. l

2. A building of the character described comprising a dome shaped root structure, a vertically disposed supporting frame, a circular track, means for mounting the circular track in spaced relation to the upper end of the frame, roller means carried by the roof and engaging the track, an axially disposed upright, and means carried by the roof structure and engaging the upright whereby to rotate the roof thereabout.

3. A building of the character described comprisinga dome shaped roof structure, a supporting frame, a circular track upstanding from the frame, roller means dependingly'secured to the dome and engaging said track whereby to permit the dome to rotate horizontally upon said trame, a vertically disposed mast, a gear secured to said mast, a motor secured to said dome and having gear Y connection with the gear on said mast whereby to permit the motor to rotate about said mast, and means mounted on the dome and engaging saidmast whereby to transmit electrical energy to said motor.

l. A building of the character described comprising a dome shaped roofstructure, a vertically disposed supporting frame, a circular track mounted on the trame, a plurality of brackets secured to the frame and engagingthe track whereby to dispose the track in spaced relation to the Jframe, a plurality of brackets dependinglysecured to the dome, a

ypair of rollers secured to each of said dome brackets, said rollers being adapted to engage said circular track at diametrically opposed points whereby to permit circular movement of the dome and coactively prevent removal of the dome from the track.

In testimony whereof we hereunto athx our signatures.V v

CHARLES T. RICE. CHARLES E. CHILDS. 

